Searching Shuichi
by FullMetalOmi
Summary: Yuki's neglect is starting to break Shuichi's exuberant facade. When the stress finally reaches the breaking point, what will Shuichi decide? YxT, SxY, SxR
1. Chapter 1

Hellooo. 

Please understand that I am in no way a grammer expert and I am trying my hardest. : )

DISCLAIMER: Gravitation is (c) to Maki Murakami, Tokyopop, etc etc. I do not claim any of the characters and original plot/story to be my own.

Pairings: YukixTohma, ShuichixYuki, Shuichix(?)

* * *

Searching Shuichi

The streets of Tokyo were deathly quiet that January evening. The air was filled with a bitter wind that felt like it was shredding your insides as it gusted by you. This wasn't the sort of weather that a sane person would try to weather, yet, amongst the clutter and chill of the buildings and alleys of Tokyo, the streets were filled with people. They lined the sidewalks and crosswalks, a mass of moving bodies shuffling against each other in a grand display of color and motion. The scents of hot food and beverages beckoned at the passerbys from the cafes and restaurants lining the streets and, occasionally, lured a few bystanders in with their flashing neon lights and the promise of safety from the cold. It was one of the strong scents of chocolate and cream mixed together and warmed to just the right temperature that pulled Shuichi off the street that night. Along with him, a neutral faced Yuki Eiri silently followed, one handedly lazily dragged by Shuichi. To Shuichi, it was an ideal retreat from the cold, and, he made it quite obvious that he thought so. Even his thick winter coat and sunglasses couldn't hide his beaming eyes and long strided steps.

"Yuki-Yuki-Yuuuuki! My nose is freezing off! Let's stop for something hot! Pleasse!" Shuichi whined, dragging Yuki further into the cafe.

Yuki, for what it was worth, absently scowled, neither agreeing or disagreeing. He just didn't move. It was to the point that Shuichi was literally pulling Yuki across the floor. Of course, this didn't deter Shuichi one bit as he finally choose a cozy corner booth among the crowded room and flung himself down on the aging pleather-esque covered bench. Yuki took his time and composed himself neatly into the seat across from Shuichi. Amid the loud choruses of clinking mugs and utensils, Yuki couldn't look more distant to Shuichi. Yuki's amber eyes stared listlessly to the side as he began to rest his his head in the palm of his left hand.

"Happy now, brat?" came Yuki's usual utterance, his hand brushing his hair away from the thin frames of his own sunglasses.

"Yes, Yuki!" beamed the enthusiastic teen as a waitress came and handed them menus to choose from. Shuichi's mind raced with topics of conversations that Yuki might feel comfortable with and found that few applied. His lips parted, his lungs filled with air as he mentally ran through the dialogue he should use, and he uttered the first syllables to his speech.

"You'll never gue..."

"Why, good evening!" a voice called pleasantly from nearby, interupting Shuichi's carefully planned verbal assault.

A platinum blonde head popped over a seperating wall in the cafe and Tohma's cheery face became apparent to all in the cafe. A few hushed yet excited whispers erupted from the front of the cafe yet no one approached the Nittle Grasper pianist. Something flashed over Yuki's features for a split second, but, as quickly as it came, was gone. From the corner of his eye, Shuichi caught this instant, and for a second, his heart clenched violently in his chest.  
He knew that Yuki and Tohma had some sort of strong history between them. He bitterly bit his bottom lip as he bowed his head politely in Tohma's direction.

Tohma leaned heavily on the dividing wall, crossing his arms and looking quite sheepish, "Shindou-san! You needn't be so polite. We are friends and collegues, aren't we?"

Before Shuichi had a moment to calculate his answer, Tohma had turned his attention to Yuki. "And Eiri-san! You look cold. Have you and Shindou-san been walking through this cold? If you want, I could join you two and drive you back to your apartment tonight." Tohma's composure and tone stated that this was a demand and not an inquiry, much to Shuichi's chagrin.

Also to Shuichi's discomfort came Yuki's abrupt reply, "Of course, Tohma. Come and sit with us." His hand gestured to a spot directly beside Shuichi and within Yuki's line of sight. Shuichi's face turned a crude shade of purple and he puffed his cheeks out in a non-verbal display of rebellion. Yuki shot Shuichi a cold glare and Shuichi's features slowly returned to normal and, it seemed, a bit deflated.

* * *

"...and then the cockroach landed on Mika's shoulder! Do you remember, Eiri-san? She almost demolished the kitchen trying to kill it. Haha! And then your parents had to bribe her to go to sleep that night because she was so scared that it'd come back..." Tohma chuckled gingerly as he related a memory that he and Yuki obviously shared. Tohma and Yuki shared alone, Shuichi realized heavily. Yuki smiled pleasantly and commented aggressively on his sister's behavior patterns. Shuichi shifted slightly, feeling the leather cushion moving and twisting under him, making the slightest high pitched scraping noises.. His hands feverishly twisted at the material as he gazed intently at the tabletop. He felt as though he was some stranger listening in on a private conversation. An outsider to Yuki and Tohma's worlds.

"Eh... Yuki? I'm getting kind of tired? We should go to bed soon, y'know? Right!" Shuichi chirped, grinning as enthusiastically as he could and picked at the buttons on his coat. Tohma and Yuki only stared callously at him. Shuichi blinked and childishly twisted at the edges of his coat, awaiting an answer from his lover.

"Go home if you're tired, then. Che..."

"B-but... I t-thought that we..."

"We? I'm not tired."

Shuichi's lips curled into a sickly smile and he laughed bitterly.

"I understand..."

And he gathered himself up, tossed a few bills on the table in Yuki's direction, and turned to leave as a voice interupted his escape.

"There's no need for that. I can pick up the tab, of course, Shindou-san." Tohma's honey sweet voice chimed. Shuichi could almost feel Tohma's fakely innocent smile burning into the back of his skull.

Shuichi could only look over his shoulder at the two men at the booth. Tohma wore the smuggest look that Shuichi had seen in quite some time as Yuki refused to even look at Shuichi. Shuichi turned back towards the exit and make his quick escape.

He could almost swear that we could hear Tohma's whisperings and Yuki's stunted murmurs of approval as the door creaked shut behind him. The wind cut through him.

And all he could do was clench his fists and eyes and keep walking through the crowd.

* * *

As the lights of the city flickered relentlessly across the walls of the living room in Yuki's apartment, Shuichi shifted on his makeshift bed, thoughts bombarding his emotionally tattered mind. Sleep would elude him another night, it seemed. As long as he had been living with Yuki, he'd always slept on the couch. Yuki's bed was off limits to everyone besides Yuki himself, lover or not. The light blanket that Shuichi had brought with him from his parents house was being used so thin that it could no longer hold in the heat that Shuichi was so desperately seeking. Another light danced across the room as a car passed nearby.

It was 5 a.m. and Yuki had not returned.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Welcome to part 2! 

Please understand that I am in no way a grammer expert and I am trying my hardest. : ) Of course, if you have hate mail, love mail, etc, my email is listed in my profile.

DISCLAIMER: Gravitation is (c) to Maki Murakami, Tokyopop, etc etc. I do not claim any of the characters and original plot/story to be my own.

Pairings:

YukixTohma,

ShuichixYuki,

Shuichix(to be revealed)

* * *

**Searching Shuichi**

* * *

When the morning light finally came, Shuichi followed his usual routine, which was: shake his head to clear the sleep from his skull, rub his eyes, meagerly make his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth and hair, get dressed in the closest thing, and make his way to the NG building for the day. This routine was only slightly delayed due to the fight he encountered with the cat downstairs which seemed to want its morning meal from any and all passerbys. Shuichi remembered absently how Yuki would feed the cat scraps. A vice returned to his stomach, knotting it uncomfortably. There was no sign that Yuki had returned at all that previous night.

* * *

The atmosphere in Conference Room 214 on the 2nd floor of the Central NG Building located in north eastern Tokyo was something akin to moment when a drunken man becomes sober. Bad Luck, along with their producer and manager, lined the long wooden conference desk that took center stage of the room. An eerie silence filled the room, which to most people, may have not seemed strange. Yet, on closer inspection of the occupants and their personalities, it was a very strange occurance, indeed. Even Shuichi wore an expression of deep concern.

"I know that its been a lot of fun and games up to this point, and, for the most part, its worked for us." Sakano began, " But... the public reaction to the last single was... less than par."

A loud click echoed in the room suddenly as K released the safety on his magnum. Suguru gulped audibly.

"I hate to say it, but, if we don't pick up the slack and get back onto the charts, Tohma will have every right to nullify your contracts!" K boomed, swinging the gun haphazardly around the room.

As Hiro, Suguru, and Sakano played 'dodge-the-aim' with K, Shuichi spoke up, "Our contracts? You're our manager, so, your contract would be in danger as well!"

K stopped midswing, his gun pointing straight at Shuichi, "You forget, Shindo. Tohma knows how capable I am. I was Ryuichi's manager before your's. He also knows my limits as a manager. I can't manage a band that doesn't meet me half-way in effort."

"I know the problem." Suguru's voice interjected, eyes fierce with blame. "Shindo-kun's love life interferes so much with our success that its baffling. I'm sure that once it stabilizes and Shindo-kun can work at full capacity without ending up in an emotional heap, we'll be back on top."

"So, its Shuichi's emotions that are the problem?" Sakano questioned as he straighten his glasses. Hiro crossed his arms and shot a sideways glance at Shuichi from across the table. Shuichi could only look agasped and partly ashamed as the realization struck him that his rollercoaster love life was affecting the love of music.

Hiro, after the short pause, finally spoke up, "Shuichi... You don't have to make your decision now. I'm sure we can take a break over the next week and..."

"Decision! Are you telling me I have to choose one or the other! That isn't fair!" Shuichi burst out, knocking the chair he was sitting in mere moments ago to the ground as he stood and slammed his hands on the table.

Sakano looked away towards the window as K resheathed his gun in its holster. Suguru softly commented on what seemed to be the consensus of everyone's thoughts, "Yes, Shindo-san. You have to choose. Its our jobs at stake."

Shuichi's face contorted from the look of shock to a twisted angry pout as his eyes filled with tears. His heart was threatening to burst due to the blinding pace it was beating. He felt as though the reality before him was some sinister nightmare that he should awaken from at any moment. But, Shuichi knew, it wasn't a nightmare. His hands gripped the flimsy shirt he was wearing away from his chest to allow a little more air flow to his heated skin. He couldn't choose. He wouldn't do it. His mind couldn't contain the amount of thoughts he was registering at that moment and he knew he had to leave before he exploded at his team. He grated his hands from their cemented positions on the desk and tossed the conference room door open, which struck the wall with a deafening thud. His feet raced beneath him and he barely registered that he had knocked through two people walking down the hallway in his thoughtless evacuation of the NG building.

Ryuichi and Noriko looked at each other and asked simultaneously, "W-was that Shuichi?"

* * *

As he sped along the highway on his motorcycle, Hiro couldn't help but feel guilty about the encounter earlier with Shuichi. He understood Shuichi better than most people. Maybe even better than Shuichi, himself. He knew that if he had to face a decision between his career and Ayaka, he'd have done something very similar to Shuichi's reaction. He reached his exit and stopped at the traffic light at the end of the exit ramp. A black BMW pulled alongside him and Hiro caught twin flashes of gold in the corner of his eye. He turned to see what the intrusive colors were, but, only caught a glimpse of the pitch black tinted rear-seat window of the BMW pull up. Two figures beyond the dark glass seemed to be in an adamant discussion, of which, Hiro had no idea. The light turned green, and the BMW sped foward. Hiro began moving and noticed the license tag.

NGRECRDS

Hiro had to double-take to make sure he had seen what he had seen. It was Tohma's shiny BMW that was speeding away with, what seemed to Hiro, Tohma and Yuki Eiri inside.

* * *

A.N.--

I know this chapter was short. So sorry!

I'm always open to crits, so, please feel free to let me know how to improve.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

Please understand that I am in no way a grammar expert and I am trying my hardest. : ) Of course, if you have hate mail, love mail, etc, my email is listed in my profile.

DISCLAIMER: Gravitation is (c) to Maki Murakami, Tokyopop, etc etc. I do not claim any of the characters and originalplot/story to be my own.

Pairings:

YukixTohma,

ShuichixYuki,

Shuichix(to be revealed)

* * *

_**Searching Shuichi**_

* * *

Hiro had once promised himself that he'd support Shuichi in any and every venue that he pursued. During every heart wrenching moment of Shuichi's love life, Hiro had given Shuichi an uplifting and Hallmark quote to say, "Hey, its OK! Do what you want and it'll work itself out!" Followed by peace signs, thumbs up, or whatever gesture seemed appropriate to cheer the poor kid up.

Except for his recent departure from that creed at the meeting earlier that day. He had actually put Shuichi on the spot. Maybe it was that the drama and stress had piled itself so high on his shoulders that it was finally breaking his legs. Or maybe, it was the fact that Shuichi seemed to be in perpetual pain. Maybe Hiro wanted Shuichi's heart to remain intact for longer than a week. Is that wrong of a friend to wish for?

The motorcycle squealed to a stop as Hiro finally parked in the dank and shadowy parking garage near the apartment Shuichi shared with Yuki. He swung his helmet off his head and proceeded in the direction of the elevators.

As the elevator closed shut behind him, Hiro couldn't help but look back out onto the parking level and notice how empty it was. And how lonely his bike was amongst the gloom.

* * *

Shuichi had barricaded himself in Yuki's bathroom. Literally. Somehow, he had managed to break the toilet free from the floor and prop it against the door. On top of that, various sundries balanced precariously on each other, threatening to fall and burst apart. The water line that was supposed to connect to the toilet was broken and shooting water upwards steadily, flooding the floor generously.

Shuichi, himself, huddled miserably in the western style tub. The shower curtains did very little to shelter him from the torrent of water gushing all over the place. Although he had cried most of his emotions out, he did have the time to think over his options carefully.

And he still felt as miserable as humanly possible.

How could he choose between the two strongest loves he'd encountered? Music or Yuki?

A jarring knock tore through Shuichi's constant stream of thought. It sounded as though someone was at the front door trying to get in. The first thought that came to mind was of Yuki, clumsily leaving his keys at home and wanting Shuichi to come to his rescue. Wouldn't that explain it all? Yuki forgetting his keys and sheepishly admitting he had spent the night scouring the city for them? Shuichi flung himself forward, smashing through his makeshift fort of beauty and health goods and sloshed his way to the front door. Another knock came. Shuichi's hands instinctively grasped the locks and turned them, one by one, until only the actual opening of the door remained.

"Shuichi, its me! Come'on! Open up!"

Shuichi's hand stopped on the handle.

As much as his heart tried to change the voice he had heard from the pleading voice of Hiro to the stoic sound of Yuki's, reality still firmly grasped Shuichi's brain. His hand softly released the handle and floated indecisively in the air.

And he locked the dead bolt back.

It had been a day and Yuki had still not returned.

* * *

Hours had passed and the sun had set once again, leaving Shuichi to a dark apartment. Hiro had eventually left, but, not before calling the apartment's phone a few times with his cell phone. The answering machine by Yuki's bed hummed with messages, calling through the thick walls to be answered. Shuichi had unconsciously steered clear of that part of the apartment. Yuki's bedroom, no matter how off limits it seemed, would always be a reminder that there should be, in Shuichi's mind, two people in it. Yuki and himself. If he were to pass that slightly opened door, he knew he'd imagine all the nights he and Yuki spent there, holding each other close. After which, Shuichi was always promptly kicked out to sleep on the couch.

It was a lost cause to Shuichi, though. Everything there reminded him of Yuki's disappearance now. Of Yuki's obvious neglect.

Sometime after the sun had set fully and the moon arrived to steal its place in the sky, Shuichi had tossed on his coat and shoes, prepared to battle the cold January night. He wished for peace of mind.

And so, he crept out of the apartment door and noticed a note hanging limply on the door. Shuichi pulled it down and read it slowly:

Shuichi-

I know today was hard on you. I'm still here for you, buddy. I did want you to know that today, as I was coming home, I saw Yuki and Tohma driving together. What's going on? You've become so quiet about what's going on with you and Yuki. Its disturbing, man! Gimme a call when you can.

-Hiro

The ink began to bleed with water stains across the note. Why was that?

When had he begun to cry again?

* * *

Shuichi luckily made it on time to catch the final train of the evening. He didn't mind that he'd have to walk home. It would give him plenty of time to catch his thoughts and breathe in the frigid yet calming air of winter.

He knew it had to be around here somewhere. He'd seen records of the address at NG Records some time back. 5-2-1...5-2-2...5-2-3...Ah! 5-3-4! Shuichi pushed his way into the lobby of a tall apartment complex shrouded in marble and fine European architecture. The lobby was expansive and soft carpet lined every step he took to the polished elevator. A receptionist called out to him. They must have realized who he was and allowed him to continue. He was famous, wasn't he? Maybe when he wasn't so caught up with Yuki, he'd have to return to marvel at the exquisite details of the place. A gentle ding sounded and a couple shuffled out of the elevator. Shuichi stepped inside and pressed the appropriate button.

On floor 14, the penthouse no less, Shuichi brushed by the elevator doors, barely giving them enough time to open fully. His breath caught in his throat and he ducked beside a tall plant.

Tatsuha, who was obviously leaving through the large oak doors, waved cordially inside to an unseen person.

"Take care, guys. I'm going home for some rest. You two should do the same!" Tatsuha called.

"Go away already. We got the message the first 5 times you said it."

Shuichi stopped. His heart, his mind, his reality. Everything had stopped.

Yuki's voice, stubborn and real, was all that Shuichi could hear.

Yuki had been with Tohma for the past day. Why? Shuichi's body ached to burst past Tatsuha's form and confront Yuki on his behavior. He fingers spasmed and his eyes had grown large. He could feel the blood rushing through his veins with every heartbeat. He feared that if he didn't move, he'd explode. His foot took a step...

...Towards the elevator.

* * *

Tatsuha stepped fully into the lobby area of Tohma's swank penthouse on the top floor. He stretched fully, easing his aching muscles. Suddenly, a brown headed pop singer's head had emerged from behind the door.

"If your leaving, we can walk home together, na no da!" Ryuichi's excited voice proclaimed, ejecting himself out of the door.

Tatsuha's mouth gaped. It was a dream come true. "O-of course, Sakuma-sama!"

But Ryuichi's attention had turned elsewhere. Mainly to the closing elevator doors.

"Isn't that funny... No one's used the elevator yet... but it was at this floor." Tatsuha commented absently, zipping his coat and brushing his unruly black hair out of his eyes.

Ryuichi's gaze didn't falter from the elevators. His eyes now held a strong, almost hateful feel.

"...very funny..." came a sultry voice very unlike Ryuichi's childish one. But, Tatsuha knew, Ryuichi's voice took many forms.

Whether it was from the bliss of hearing such an alluring and sexy sound from Ryuichi's lips or the blood loss from the thoughts associated with Ryuichi's lips and the sounds that voice could make, Tatsuha didn't know. All he understood was that he was crumpling to the floor in a swoon that could put southern belles to shame.

By the time he woke up, Ryuichi had already left.

* * *

The Japanese way of addresses is #-#-# where the first number represents the sub-area, the second number is the city block number, and the last number is the building number. I just made an address up, so, looking those numbers up will get you nowhere. Literally. Probably.

Notes: I appreciate all the crits everyone's given! Yay! Thank you! I also appreciate the support. Since this is an ongoing series, everything will be explained, including Yuki's reasons, so, please hold on and don't jump the gun yet. It'll come. I especially thank those who have added this to their alerts and faves!


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4 **

**Please understand that I am in no way a grammar expert and I am trying my hardest. : ) Of course, if you have hate mail, love mail, etc, my email is listed in my profile.**

**_DISCLAIMER: Gravitation is (c) to Maki Murakami (my god), Tokyopop, etc etc. I do not claim any of the characters and original plot/story to be my own._**

**NOTE: Thank you for all the reviews. ****I know its been awhile since I updated and, for that, I apologize. ****I also wasn't aware that anonymous reviews were disabled. XD Ha-ha-ha… my bad. So, feel free to review now without fear of registry or signing in. Tear at me with your hatred-laced claws.  
**

**Pairings:**

**YukixTohma,**

**ShuichixYuki,**

**ShuichixRyuichi**

* * *

_**Searching Shuichi Part 4**_

It was burning his lungs. The rush of ice cold air was that was invading his chest created a sensation of pure fire tumbling down his esophagus. His entire torso was stinging from the pain. Especially his heart. His feet stumbled onward through the piling snow lining the winding Tokyo sidewalk. Occasionally, he would pass other people making their way home in the post-midnight hours. The air still felt empty despite the echoing footsteps and chatter they created. Empty and hideously frigid. Despite having to walk in the cold home, Shuichi was thankful. The quiet walk home, as much as it hurt both physically and mentally, gave him plenty of time to sort out his emotions.

He had made fair distance back to the apartment complex that he shared with Yuki by running non-stop. His legs finally gave way, his arm grasping onto the nearby railing as his knees hit the snow soaked cement of the sidewalk. He sat that way for a minute, catching his breath. The air before his eyes misted and faded in time with his breaths. His head tilted skyward and he watched his white, smokelike breaths float heavenward. Moments passed and the snow began to soak into his pants. As cold and uncomfortable as it felt, it didn't bother him as much it is usually did. He turned his head to look through the stern metal railing. From the hill he was on, he could see the city being lightly covered by a grey shroud of snow. It was almost calming to listen to the stillness and quiet that so rarely occupied Tokyo. It was as though the city had completely stopped.

Except for the light footsteps approaching from behind.

Footsteps?

Shuichi whipped around, body unbalanced and his mittened hands hitting the concrete by his knees forcefully, his eyes wide with a hint of fear. After the experience with Aizawa, Shuichi had become slightly more guarded. A figure wrapped in a knee-length brown coat approached down the bank of the walkway towards him.

And Ryuichi Sakuma walked past him down the hill, hands in his coat pockets. He cast Shuichi the faintest of glances but returned to walking on, almost as if he had imagine the crouching boy in the snow and thought nothing of it.

Shuichi watched the retreating form in amazed shock, the blood rushing through his skull, almost deafening him.

"S-Sakuma-san...?"

Ryuichi turned slightly, Kumogoro peeking from between the lapels of his coat. A moment of taunt silence held in the air. Finally, Ryuichi's face burst into an exuberant grin and he bounced over to where Shuichi sat in the snow.

"Shuichi! Wanna make a gingerbread man army and take over Kumo-land? Noriko and I bought all the ingredients earlier and..."

Shuichi couldn't help but feel relieved as Ryuichi began explaining in great detail his day. He really needed something to take his mind off of all the drama surrounding him and Ryuichi's childlike and curious nature was dominating all of his thoughts. Shuichi's lips smiled faintly as Ryuichi grasped his hands and pulled him up from the frozen snow.

* * *

As inviting as making a gingerbread army to take over Kumo-land sounded to Shuichi, the pair eventually settled on a late night coffee amidst the cold winter chill. The Zenny's(1) they had arrived at was artificially bright to the point of blinding compared to the starkly lit streets. Shuichi had to squint for a few minutes until his eyes could adjust to the unwelcome visual intrusion. Ryuichi had already walked on ahead to take a booth by the frosted windows that lining the side of the room. From what Shuichi could tell, the entire restaurant was empty except for the staff. It was after 2AM, Shuichi reminded himself, rubbing his bleary eyes with a sleeve and sidling into the booth across from Ryuichi. For a moment, he could almost swear he could still see his breath frost out into the air. 

But that was impossible. Wasn't it?

The dining area wasn't cold at all. This fact was punctuated by a buxomy waitress who wore the infamous Zenny's uniform with its short skirt and short sleeved button down shirt, breasts prominently displayed for all(2). She rushed over almost immediately, face red as strawberries, and handed them each a menu.

"W-welcome to Zenny's! What can I get you to drink… S-S-Sakuma...-sama, right?" Ryuichi's face whipped up from the menu, which he had already begun scrutinizing very carefully with Kumogoro. His eyes were wide at the waitress as he suddenly became very aware of his lack of disguise.

"O-oh, um, haha! I'd like strawberry milk na no da!" Ryuichi chuckled out, an arm flying behind his head to rub gingerly at the base of his neck. "Oh! And a chocolate milk for Kumogoro!" Shuichi silently noted to himself how Ryuichi almost glowed with friendly charm and cordiality. Even to complete strangers.

"Hot cocoa, please." Shuichi added, breaking the silence as the waitress became more entranced with the older singer. The waitress finally took notice of the other occupant of the booth, eyes silently skimming over him in quiet admiration, it seemed. She smiled at Ryuichi one last time before sauntering off to the kitchen, eyeing the boys over her shoulder like Christmas presents.

Silence. A good 5 minutes worth, it seemed to Shuichi. This was beginning to get very awkward.

"..Eh-heh-heh… So much for coffee, huh?" Shuichi finally blurted out, grinning as he folded his menu onto the table. Ryuichi had disappeared behind his menu and was Kumogoro peeking around the side.

"Shuuuiiiichiiii… Why're you out tonight? It's too cold and dark for snowman making!" 'Kumogoro' said, arms outstretched and smiling, un-seeing eyes beaming in Shuichi's direction.

Shuichi blinked confusedly for a moment, not sure how to deal with the stuffed animal asking such straight forward questions all of a sudden. He turned his head to look out the window, leaning forward onto his right hand for support. A smile graced his lips faintly as his brows curled with despair.

"Just some business, I suppose."

'Kumogoro' continued, "And what was Shuuuuuichi doing sitting in the snow? That's not very business-y!"

"I liked it."

"No one likes sitting in the snow alone at midnight, na no da!" 'Kumogoro' vehemently spat, shoving itself towards Shuichi. Shuichi could just barely make out the side of Ryuichi's face from behind the menu as 'Kumogoro' continued his approach.

"What can I say, Sakuma-san? I'm weird like that!" Shuichi beamed, leaning back from the table, stretching out a bit.

"I. am. Kumogoro-sama!" Ryuichi declared as he emerged from behind the menu and jumped onto the table. Silverware and napkins flew in every direction and the table threatened to tip at the slightest shift in weight. Shuichi could only sit in horror as Ryuichi loomed over him.

"S-S-Sakuma-san! Get down! You're gonna fall!"

"Shu-ich-i! Sometimes you've got to jump up places even if you're scared you're gonna fall!"

At that, Shuichi finally got a good look at Ryuichi's features. He had changed. His usually soft and childlike face had become the stern and angular mask of adulthood. He had simply changed into someone else. It was exactly like all those times on stage and in concert where something in Ryuichi snapped or morphed into a serious, cool guy that wouldn't take no for an answer and could take on the world if he had to. Shuichi had to gulp down a bit of saliva that had begun to collect in his mouth.

Or was that drool?

Ryuichi's stature finally slumped and he dipped to his knees onto the table, Kumogoro resting lifelessly in his lap. His gaze never broke away from Shuichi's. Ryuichi's face had become threateningly close to his own and he could feel his heart begin to race to the point where he could feel it beating through his fingers and toes.

When Ryuichi's lips finally parted and a tiny breath escaped, Shuichi could only clench his eyes in fear of what was to come.

And Ryuichi's voice came. It rang out loud, clear, and, angrily.

"I know you were at Tohma's earlier. Don't lie. _Never lie to me... Shindou-san._"

* * *

**NOTES:**

**(1)Zenny's: The place they go to eat, like Denny's, in almost every other episode.**

**(2)Uniform: Ala Cat Girl Nuku-Nuku.**

**And, if I haven't expressed it enough already, thank you for the reviews. It really helps me figure out what's good and what's not and what stupidly simple spelling mistakes I've made.**


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